Filtration unit

ABSTRACT

A filter is disclosed for filtering air in a confined space such as the interior of a motor vehicle, for example, to reduce the quantity of airborne contaminants.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/684,784, filed May 26, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a filtration system including a fan and a filter which may be used in a confined space such as the interior of a motor vehicle, for example, to reduce the amount of contaminants present in the air.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many instances the phenomena of secondhand smoke reduces all persons to “passive smokers”. Breathing smoke emitted from tobacco products and other person's tobacco smoke can be terribly irritable to one's eyes, nose, and throat. But, much worse, it can also dramatically increase the risk of cancer, emphysema, and heart disease. Recent studies indicate that many people who die each year from smoke caused by tobacco products may never have actually puffed on a single cigarette.

When inhaled, tiny chemical-containing particles in tobacco smoke, whether it emanates from the lit end of a cigar or cigarette, penetrate deeply into the lungs and leach into surrounding tissue. For years, the medical field has been well aware that smoking increases a person's risk of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and such respiratory illnesses as emphysema. The evidence is now growing that passive smokers are at risk as well.

The bulk of research within the last decade or so suggests a clear link between chronic passive smoking and lung cancer. Research indicates that tobacco smoke contains at least 40 different carcinogens and that non-smokers inhale these products with the air they breathe.

The scientific term for secondhand smoke is environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). ETS is made up of two kinds of tobacco smoke, namely, sidestream smoke (approximately 85 to 90 percent) and mainstream smoke (approximately 10 to 15 percent).

Passive smoking is the inhaling of the smoke from others. A non-smoker seated beside or behind a smoker breathes in both the secondhand smoke from the burning tobacco and the mainstream smoke that has been inhaled and then exhaled by the smoker. The smoke released from the lit tobacco often contains greater amounts of contaminants than the smoke that is inhaled by the smoker, since the smoke has not passed through a filter. Not surprisingly, non-smokers are concerned that breathing secondhand smoke could be harmful to their health.

To reduce exposure to secondhand smoke, efforts have been made to improve the environment at home and at the workplace with varying degrees of success. However, other sources of exposure, namely, within the interior of vehicles, busses, trains, and airplanes, for example, have been somewhat overlooked.

It would be desirable to produce an appliance for use within a confined space which filters the air within the space to remove undesirable contaminants therefrom.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Harmonious with the present invention, an appliance for use within a confined space which filters the air within the space to remove undesirable contaminants therefrom, has surprisingly been discovered.

In one embodiment, a filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprises a housing defining a cavity therein; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity; at least one air outlet spaced apart from the inlet and communicating with the cavity; a driven fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants therefrom.

In another embodiment, a filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprises a housing defining a cavity therein, the housing adapted to be received by a headliner of a vehicle; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity; at least one air outlet spaced apart from the inlet and communicating with the cavity; a driven fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants therefrom.

In another embodiment, a filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprises a housing defining a cavity therein, the housing including at least a first wall and at least one sidewall formed thereon; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity, the at least one air inlet being formed in the first wall of the housing and being removable from the housing; at least one air outlet spaced apart from the inlet and communicating with the cavity, the at least one air outlet being formed in the at least one sidewall of the housing and being removable from the housing; a driven fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a vehicle headliner console incorporating the filtration vacuum appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the filtration appliance illustrated in FIG. 1 and taken along line 2-2 thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a filtration vacuum appliance in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following detailed description and appended drawings describe and illustrate various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description and drawings serve to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. For exemplary purposes, an appliance disposed in a vehicle headliner console is disclosed. However, it is understood that the appliance can be used for other applications such as interior of busses, trains, recreational vehicles, campers, and other confined areas, for example. The appliance can also be produced as a stand-alone unit adapted to be supported by a support surface such as a table, and disposed adjacent small confined spaced such as a pet litter box, for example. It is understood that materials other than those described can be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an appliance for use within the interior of a vehicle for cleaning the air therein. An overhead console or housing 10 is shown and is adapted to be suitably secured to the headliner of the vehicle. The console 10 typically houses a number of accessories such as a digital readout displaying temperature, direction (compass heading), time, date, etc. a garage door opener transmitter, and interior lights, for example.

In the instant case, the overhead console 10 is provided with a cavity 11 capable of housing a fan 12 and an associated electrical drive motor 14. The type of fan 12 used is not considered a material aspect of the invention. While the cavity 11 shown in FIG. 1 is shown as being formed in the overhead console 10, it is understood that the cavity 11 can be formed in other structures of the vehicle without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, such as directly in the headliner of the vehicle, for example.

Favorable results have been found where multiple filtration vacuum appliances are used, wherein a separate appliance is located directly above each seat in the vehicle. Further, it is understood that if the cavity 11 is formed in other structures of the vehicle, the remaining structure discussed below will also be formed in the other structure. Electrical leads (not shown) extend from the motor 14 to a source of electrical energy through an on/off switch 18. The on/off switch may optionally include a slide bar or similar device to control the speed of the fan 12. The fan 12, and the associated drive motor 14, as well as the switch 18, are suitably mounted to the console 10. It is understood that the switch 18 can be mounted to different structure in the vehicle, such as on the dashboard (not shown), for example, as long as electrical communication can be established between the switch 18 and the drive motor 14.

The console 10 is provided with at least one air inlet 20 and spaced apart air outlets or exhaust ports 22, 24. In the embodiment shown, the inlet 20 is disposed at the bottom of the console 10, while the exhaust ports 22, 24 are disposed at opposite sides of the console 10. It is understood that other configurations can be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Additionally, although two exhaust ports 22, 24 are shown, more or fewer exhaust ports 22, 24 can be used as desired. Further, it will be understood that the exhaust ports 22, 24 are typically designed to snap into and out of operative position within the console 10. The size and configuration of the exhaust ports 22 and 24 are determined by the size, speed, and air handling properties of the fan 12 and the drive motor 14.

Hook and loop tape 28 is disposed about the periphery of the marginal edge of an aperture formed in the housing of the console 10 to define the inlet 20. Cooperative strips of hook and loop tape 30 are secured to a fan cover 32. It is understood that other suitable fasteners such as screws, clips, and the like, for example, can be used as desired.

The cover 32 can be formed of any suitable material such as vinyl or plastic, for example, and is provided with an array of slotted openings 36. While the slots 36 are illustrated of being in the form of a plurality of spaced apart slots, it will be understood that certain advantages could be achieved by forming the openings in an array of substantially concentric spaced apart rings. It is believed that the latter arrangement may have beneficial effects in its ability to efficiently direct the air entering the inlet 20.

The fan cover 32 is configured to receive a filter element 34 which can be formed of a suitable filter material. The filter element 34 is illustrated as being in the form of a pad. However, satisfactory results could be achieved by forming the filter element 34 so that it could readily slide into and out of operative position. In such an embodiment, the filter element 34 would typically include a frame for the filter material which could be readily manually grasped for insertion or removal from the inlet for replacement. Although a single filter element 34 is illustrated, additional filter elements 34 can be used as desired. The filter elements 34 can remove decreasing particulate size or include different filter types such as a HEPA filter, a particulate filter, a volatile organic compound filter, an allergenic filter, and a charcoal filter. The filter types can also be used in series to filter a variety of contaminants such as smoke and odor, for example.

In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 32 effectively retains the filter element 34 upstream of the fan 12. It is understood that the filter element 34 can be disposed down stream of the fan 12 without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

A further feature of the invention resides in the ability to incorporate an auxiliary pad (not shown) containing an air freshener material therein. In such an embodiment, the pad containing the evaporative air freshener chemical could be used in combination with the filter element 34 or could be substituted for the latter. The filter element 34 can also be disposed upstream of the fan 12 and the pad downstream of the fan 12 or vice versa, if desired. The charcoal filter and auxiliary pad can be combined for applications requiring odor control, such as a pet litter box, for example.

FIG. 3 shows a filtration vacuum appliance in another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the filtration vacuum appliance is located in a housing 50 including a top portion (not shown), a bottom portion 52, and a plurality of side portions 54. The housing 50 includes an interior portion (not shown) for housing a fan (not shown) and an associated electrical drive motor (not shown). The type of fan used is not considered a material aspect of the invention. Electrical leads (not shown) extend from the motor to a source of electrical energy through an on/off switch 55. The on/off switch may optionally include a slide bar or similar device to control the speed of the fan. The fan and the associated drive motor, as well as the switch 55, are suitably mounted to the housing 50.

The top portion of the housing 50 can optionally include a fastening device for mounting the housing 50 as desires. Favorable results have been found wherein the top portion includes hook and loop tape (not shown) disposed about a periphery thereof and wherein cooperative strips of hook and loop tape (not shown) are secured to a mounting surface (not shown).

The bottom portion 52 of the housing 50 is configured to receive a filter element (not shown) which can be formed of a suitable filter material. Satisfactory results can be achieved by forming the filter element so that it could readily slide into and out of operative position. In such an embodiment, the filter element could include a frame for housing the filter material which could be readily manually grasped for insertion or removal from the bottom portion 52 for replacement. Further, a single filter element or a plurality of filter elements could be used as desired. The filter elements can remove decreasing particulate size or include different filter types such as a HEPA filter, a particulate filter, a volatile organic compound filter, an allergenic filter, and a charcoal filter. The filter types can also be used in series to filter a variety of contaminants such as smoke and odor, for example.

The bottom portion 52 also includes a fan cover 58 arranged to be removably secured to the housing 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover 58 effectively retains the filter element upstream of the fan. However, the filter element can be included downstream of the fan in the top portion of the housing 50 without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. The cover 58 can be formed of any suitable material such as vinyl or plastic, for example, and is provided with an array of slotted openings 60. While the slotted openings 60 are illustrated as being in the form of a plurality of spaced apart slots, it will be understood that certain advantages could be achieved by forming the openings in an array of substantially concentric spaced apart rings.

In the embodiment shown, the slotted openings 60 are shown as formed in bottom portion of the housing 50, while the exhaust ports 62 are formed in the side portions 54 of the housing 50. It is understood that other configurations can be used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

At least one of the side portions 54 of the housing 50 includes at least one exhaust port 62 formed therein. While four side portions 54 are shown, it is understood that more or fewer side portions 54 can be included to form the housing 50 as desired with departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. The exhaust ports 62 are typically designed to snap into and out of operative position within the side portions 54. The size and configuration of the exhaust ports 62 are determined by the size, speed, and air handling properties of the fan and the drive motor.

A further feature of the invention resides in the ability to incorporate an auxiliary pad (not shown) containing an air freshener material therein, such as described above for FIGS. 1 and 2.

From the foregoing description, one ordinarily skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of this invention and, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, can make various changes and modifications to the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. 

1. A filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprising: a housing defining a cavity therein; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity; at least one air outlet communicating with the cavity; a fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants from the flow of air.
 2. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air filter is a smoke filter.
 3. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to be received by a headliner of a vehicle.
 4. The filtration unit according to claim 3, wherein the housing includes a hook and loop fastener disposed on a portion thereof for connecting to a cooperative hook and loop fastener disposed on a headliner of a vehicle.
 5. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to be received by an aperture formed in an overhead counsel of a vehicle.
 6. The filtration unit according to claim 1, further comprising a switch in electrical communication with the fan for selectively operating the filtration unit.
 7. The filtration unit according to claim 6, wherein the switch is disposed in the housing.
 8. The filtration unit according to claim 6, wherein the switch includes a means for selectively adjusting a speed of the fan.
 9. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to receive an air freshener therein.
 10. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet is formed from a plurality of spaced apart openings formed on a first wall of the housing.
 11. The filtration unit according to claim 10, wherein the air outlet is formed in a sidewall of the housing.
 12. The filtration unit according to claim 11, wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are removable from the housing.
 13. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air filter is removable from the housing.
 14. The filtration unit according to claim 1, wherein the air filter includes at least one of a HEPA filter, a particulate filter, a volatile organic compound filter, an allergenic filter, and a charcoal filter.
 15. A filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprising: a housing defining a cavity therein, the housing adapted to be received by a headliner of a vehicle; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity; at least one air outlet communicating with the cavity; a fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants from the flow of air.
 16. The filtration unit according to claim 15, wherein the housing includes a hook and loop fastener disposed on a portion thereof for connecting to a cooperative hook and loop fastener disposed on a headliner of a vehicle.
 17. The filtration unit according to claim 15, further comprising a switch disposed in the housing and in electrical communication with the fan for selectively operating the filtration unit.
 18. The filtration unit according to claim 17, wherein the switch includes a means for selectively adjusting a speed of the fan.
 19. The filtration unit according to claim 15, wherein the housing is adapted to receive an air freshener therein.
 20. A filtration unit for removing contaminants from air comprising: a housing defining a cavity therein, the housing including at least a first wall and at least one sidewall formed thereon; at least one air inlet communicating with the cavity, the at least one air inlet formed in the first wall of the housing and removable from the housing; at least one air outlet communicating with the cavity, the at least one air outlet formed in the at least one sidewall of the housing and removable from the housing; a fan for producing a flow of air along a path from the inlet to the outlet; and an air filter disposed in the flow of air between the inlet and the outlet to remove contaminants from the flow of air. 